Multiple contact selector switch



Aug. 2, 1960 H. A. STICKEL 2,947,973

MULTIPLE CONTACT SELECTOR ,swrrca Filed Sept. 2:, 1957 FIG 2 FIG 3 INVENTOR.

HAROLD A. ST/CKEL ECKHOFF 8 SLICK ATTORNEYS A MEMBER OF THE F/PM United States Patent MULTIPLE CONTACT SELECTOR swrrcn Harold A. Stickel, San Francisco, Calif., assignor to Secode Corporation, a corporation of California Filed Sept. 23, 1957, Ser. No. 685,723

2 Claims. (Cl. 340164) This invention relates to a switch for a code selective device and more particularly relates to a switch device in which a plurality of circuits can be actuated by a single code selector. In my Patent No. 2,575,198, I disclosed one form of a selective device which was capable of responding to an integer signal, and in my Patent No. 2,595,614, I disclosed another form of code selective device which would respond to an integer signal. In my copending application Serial No. 685,72A, I have disclosed and claimed an improved form of selective device which also responds to an integer signal. In each of said devices a slow moving armature is used which is actuated by the first pulse of a code group forming an integer and which releases only upon the completion of a code group integer signal. The device of the present invention is applicable to any of such devices but its operation will be described in conjunction with said pending application for convenience.

In said pending application, a contact arm is provided on the slow releasing armature and contact is made between a pin on each arm and a contact pin attached to a code plate on the device. Although the structure shown therein is highly advantageous, it is still capable of controlling only a single circuit.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a multiple contact arm for a code selective device wherein a plurality of circuits can be controlled utilizing a single selector mechanism.

A further object of this invention is to provide a suitable switch device which is readily adaptable for addition to existing code selective devices without extensive moditication thereof so that existing single circuit devices can be used to control a plurality of circuits.

Another object is to provide a device wherein no false momentary contacts are made prior to the installment of the correct contact.

Still another object is to provide a device which is substantially vibration proof.

In the drawings forming part of this application:

Figure 1 isa plan view of a code selective switch built generally in accordance with my copending patent application Serial No. 685,724, and having thereon the de vice of the present invention whereby a plurality of circuits can be controlled. The device is shown with the parts in the positions assumed before a signal is received.

Figure 2 is an end elevational view on a reduced scale of the device in Figure 1, with certain parts cut away for clarity but showing the-device of Figure 1 at the time a contact is made.

Figure 3 is a reduced side elevational view, taken from the side of the slow releasing armature, of the device in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is va perspective of the switch arm used in a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The detailed operation of the code selective device is disclosed in my copending patent application and only a brief outline is given here. The code selective device has a top frame member '5 having a code wheel 7 mounted Patented Aug. 2, 1960 ice clockwise direction to a starting position which is shown in Figure 1. The selector device has a fast moving or pulsing armature 9 which acts through arm 11 to advance the code wheel 7 through one notch each time a pulse is received. A slow releasing armature 15-A is activated by the first pulse of a code group and remains in' during the series of pulses which constitute a single integer and releases only between integer signals. Armature 15-A locks the code wheel between integers and also carries the contact arm 17 which completes a circuit when the desired signal has been received, as is later explained in greater detail. The contact arm proper 17 is shown in detail in Figure 4 and consists of an upright member 18 having holes 20 therein whereby the arm may be secured to the slow moving armature :15 by means of the screws 22. It will be understood that in the embodiment shown, the arm 1-8 is insulated from the slow moving armature 15-A by means of a suitable insulator 24, although it is not necessary to insulate the arm 18 in all cases, as is later described. The code wheel 7 carries with it one or more contact pins 25 as well as coding pins 27. Each contact pin 25 has an upstanding contactor 23.

The code pins 27 serve to lock the code wheel in an advanced position while the contact pins 25 serve both to lock the code wheel and to complete the electrical circuit, as is later described.

The member 18 is bent over to form the top member 26, as shown, to which a single contact pin 28 is attached. Also attached to the top member 26 is a plastic or other suitable insulator member 30 having attached thereto a number of contact pins designated 32, 34 and 36. An electrical circuit is completed in the plastic members so that the wires 32-a, 34-a and 36-a are electrically connected to their respective contact pins. In the embodiinent illustrated, each of the contact pins is spaced from its neighbor by a distance equal to two notches on code wheel 7. This is desirable because in the particular coding device with which the novel arm of the present invention is preferably used, a single pulse is used as a clearing pulse and each code group difiers' from the next by at least two pulses. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that with other coding systems the contact arms might be spaced apart by the distance of one notch or they could be spaced apart by a distance equal to three, or even more notches.

In operation, the code wheel starts at a position as is shown in Figure l, i.e., at the extreme clockwise position. Assuming that code group 3 is sent, the pulsing armature 9 would advance the code wheel by a distance of three notches by three successive pulses while the slow moving armature 15-A is held in during the pulses and released only at the end of the third pulse whereupon the contact pin 28 of the arm 17 engages contact pin 23 attached to the code Wheel, completing a circuit through the Wire 19 and the base of the instrument. The engagement of pins 28 and 23 locks the code wheelin the advanced position and prevents it from returning to its first position. If two more coded pulses were then sent (or if the device were reset to zero and 5 pulses were sent), the code wheel would be advanced two additional notches and pin 32 would then engage on the contact pin 23 closing the circuit through wire 3'2-a and so on until contacts 34 and 36 were brought into position. This is a simplified set-up and would normally be employed where a number of code selective devices are used and wherein it is desired that each device respond the same way to an all call signal.

Normally, individual codes would also be assigned to each particular selector switch. Thus, in the selector as set up as shown in the drawings, the device will respond not only to the individual signals 3, 5, 7 and 9, as described above, but will also respond to the codes 10-5-3 (to complete the circuit through pin 28,), the code 101-5-5 (to complete the circuit throughpiu 3,2) and so on. Thus, when the signal 10 was sent, the code wheel would advance to pin 27 and lock in place; the further signal would look the wheel at pin 27-a and the further signal 3 would complete the circuit through contact pin 28.

In the embodiment illustrated, the, member 26 provides the means. for holding the first contact pin 28 and the.

whole arm 17 is insulated from the balance of the instrument. -Iowever, all of the pins may. be held by the insulating member 30, so, that arm 17 need not be insulated from the instrument.

Although. the arm is shown with four contact pins, it is obvious that a larger or a smaller member might be used.

It will be noted that there is no false momentary contact before the proper contact is made. In many selector systems, momentary false contacts are made even if a different code is being received. This necessitates the use of a slow acting relay in conjunction with the system which is unnecessary with the system of the present invention.

It should be noted (see Figure 2) that at the time con tact is made the two contact points are not in axial alignment with the code wheel but that the contact on the armature 28 is offset in the direction of the bias of the code wheel with respect to the contact 23 on the code wheel. Thus, the action of the spring 21 in biasing the code wheel causes the contacts to wedge together, rendering the device vibration resistant.

I claim:

1. A selective code signal receiving device comprising: in combination, a movable control element; propelling means for said control element; means for engaging said propelling means with said control element for advancingsaid control element from a normal position to a first advanced position on receipt of a first pulse group, and thereafter from said first advanced position to a farther advanced position on receipt of an additional pulse group; a member carried by said control element at a point corresponding to said first advanced position; a slow releasing element responsive once to a pulse group and releasing upon the completion of said group; a blocking element carried by said slow releasing element, said blocking element obstructing the path of the said member and preventing further advancement of said control element when the said slow releasing element is actuated and moving out of the path of the said member upon a predetermined release movement less than full release of the said slowreleasing element; holding means releasable by actuation of the slow releasing element to engage said moveable control element and prevent retrograde movement of the control element except when the slow releasing element is fully released; a contact member carried by said control element at a point corresponding to said farther advauced position; and a plurality of contact members adjacent and spaced from one another and carried by the said :slow releasing element, each of said plurality of contact members being so positioned that when the said control element is at a farther advanced position and said slow releasing element is released, said control element contact member and a slow releasing element contact member will contact one another.

2. An electric, selective code signal receiving device comprising: in combination, a movable control element normally biased in a first direction; propelling means for said control element, said propelling means, when engaged with said control element, being capable of moving said control element in uniformly small increments only; means for engaging said, propelling means with said control element for advancing said control element by uniform increments from a normal position to a predetermined first advanced position on receipt of a first electric signal pulse group, and thereafter from said first advanced position to a farther advanced position on receipt of an additional electric signal pulse group, said propelling means having, as a driving unit therefor, a pulsing armature responsive toeach cycle of current change within said pulse groups; a member carried by said control element at a pointcorresponding to said first advanced position; a slow releasing armature responsive once to a plurality of pulses constituting a pulse group and releasing upon the completion of said group; means rcsponsive to. said slow releasing armature for engagingsaid control element whereby to retain said control element at said first advanced position on receipt of said first pulse group and release of the said slow releasing armature; a blocking element carried by the said slow releasing armature, said blocking element obstructing the path of the said member and preventing further advancement of said control element when the said slow releasing armature is actuated and moving out of the path of Said member upon a predetermined release movement less than full release of the said slow releasing armature; pawl means releasable byactuation of the slow releas ing armature to engage said moveable control element and prevent retrograde movement of the control element except when the slow releasing armature. is fully released; an electrical conductor carried by said control element at a point corresponding to said farther advanced position; and a plurality of electrically insulated electrical conductors carried by the said slow releasing armature, each of said plurality of conductors being so posi tioned that when the said control element is at a farther advanced position and said slow releasing armature is released, said control element conductor and a slow releasing armature conductor will contact one another.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,365,284 McClelland Dec. 19, 1944 2,595,614 Stickel May 6, 1952 2,685,078 Dale July 27, 1954 

